Chapter 152
Ava softly comforted Howard, speaking soothing words to him, unaware that a jacket was being draped over her shoulders, carrying a familiar warmth and his distinctive scent.
She looked up at him, her eyes full of distance, as if telling him, 'I don't need it!'
This look made William's heart fill with mixed feelings.
Those fox-like eyes used to look at him often. He still preferred when she would smile sweetly, wrap her arms around his neck, act cute and clingy, and complain that he came home late, skipped dinner, or didn't praise the late-night snacks she made.
Now that look was so unfamiliar, making him feel like there was no possibility of them continuing together.
The next second, Ava reached to pull the jacket off, wanting to return it to him. She had made up her mind and wouldn't waver anymore because of his small gestures.
This time, she would harden her heart and completely let go of this marriage that had brought her endless pain.
William's large hand pressed down on hers, stopping her next move.
"If you're cold, keep it on. Don't catch a cold and pass it to Grandpa."
He clearly cared about her and worried she was cold, but the words came out differently.
Ava had long gotten used to his habit of saying one thing while meaning another. Deep down, she knew he cared about her, but she didn't want this belated concern anymore.
Since he couldn't let go of Sarah, he should just care about Sarah alone. Why bother with her?
"I'm not cold."
She said flatly, insisting with one hand. William let go, and the neatly pressed custom-made suit fell to the ground.
Ava licked her lips, picked up the jacket, and hung it on the coat rack, not looking at him once throughout.
"It's dirty. Have Lily send it to be cleaned tomorrow."
His clothes had always been personally managed by her. Now she was verbally handing this task over to Lily. This made William feel an emptiness inside, as if something had been carved out.
He felt an unprecedented sense of loss, yet couldn't tolerate himself being disturbed by this sudden feeling. He had called her here today partly to make Howard happy, and partly to try to bring up the idea of her breaking her contract with SWAN and signing with the Morgan Group.
Now it seemed completely impossible.
She really was going to break with him completely.
Thinking this, his gaze shifted elsewhere as he said coldly,
"It's just a jacket. Just throw it away."
Ava curved her lips in a smile that didn't reach her eyes,
"Whatever you want."
After speaking, she returned to the bedside to keep Howard company, completely indifferent to his matters.
William felt irritated and wanted to go out for a cigarette. Opening the hospital room door, he found the two caregivers he'd hired had arrived. Two female caregivers in their forties were sitting on the bench outside the room, not daring to go in and disturb the three people inside.
Seeing someone come out, they quickly stood up,
"Mr. Morgan, should we go in now?"
William glanced back at Ava, who was keeping watch by the hospital bed, speaking softly and telling Howard jokes. Calling her here late at night was actually the right choice. Howard probably didn't want to see anyone else right now.
"Wait here. If my wife needs you, she'll call. Go in at midnight to cover them with blankets so they don't catch a cold."
The two caregivers nodded repeatedly.
William sat in his car, his elbow resting on the window as he lit a cigarette. Thinking about what he'd just told the caregivers, saying 'my wife' from his own mouth now seemed a bit ridiculous.
He sat alone in the car all night.
The next day, James brought two contracts that needed to be signed, along with the share transfer agreement.
"Mr. Morgan, I've already booked the flight and hotel for the heart specialist from Lumaria. Next Wednesday morning at 9:13, the plane lands."
William made a sound of acknowledgment and instructed,
"No need to book a hotel. Bring them directly to Lakeview Estates. Get a few more bodyguards to follow along and avoid any unexpected situations."
Lakeview Estates was one of William's private properties. The community had very strict security, prohibiting all strangers from entering. It was located less than a kilometer from the district police station, making it the safest of all his properties.
James managed all those properties, so he naturally knew this.
James thought to himself, William is being so careful bringing this expert from abroad this time. Could he simply be worried about the expert's safety?
He didn't dare ask too much about William's thoughts. He just felt William should have found an expert to thoroughly examine that angelic bitch long ago. James always thought she was faking it during her previous episodes.
After James left, William looked at the prepared share transfer agreement again and again, finally taking it upstairs.
Ava was helping Howard eat breakfast. The faint dark circles under her eyes showed she probably hadn't slept all night.
A small table was set up on the hospital bed.
Howard was quite weak now, his body mainly sustained by IV nutrition. He could only eat a few spoonfuls of liquid food.
Ava fed him a few spoonfuls of soup from the bowl. Howard waved his hand, not wanting more. She looked at the barely touched soup and sighed inwardly.
William watched from the doorway for a few minutes. A caregiver came out to get water and saw him,
"Mr. Morgan is here."
The female caregiver called out, but neither Howard nor Ava turned around. From start to finish, no one acknowledged him. Standing there, he felt like an isolated, invisible person.
He couldn't quite understand why Howard was treating him this way. Even being scolded would be better. He even worried whether Howard's episode had caused memory loss, making him completely forget his own grandson.
"Grandpa, how are you feeling today?"
Howard completely ignored him, not even lifting an eyelid.
Just then, doctors came for rounds. The deputy director led the way in, followed by several specialists. Howard's health had always been personally overseen by the deputy director.
Seeing the doctors arrive, Ava stepped back a few paces to make room.
Dr. Allen walked forward,
"Howard, how are you feeling today?"
Howard spoke weakly,
"Everything else is fine. Just low energy, can't sleep well, insomnia."
Several doctors examined him. Dr. Allen smiled and said,
"You're recovering well. I'll prescribe some calming medicine for you to take. Relax and sleep, and I guarantee when you're discharged, you'll be as energetic as before."
Howard nodded in thanks and said no more.
William felt that Howard had become much quieter since this episode, barely talking, not even losing his temper. He didn't know if it was because of his age.
He quietly sensed that Howard was holding back anger inside.
He followed the doctors out of the room,
"Dr. Allen, is there really nothing wrong with my grandfather's health?"
Dr. Allen stopped and asked,
"Is Howard showing discomfort anywhere?"
William shook his head,
"He seems like he doesn't recognize me. He won't respond when I call him."
Dr. Allen was surprised, then showed an expression somewhere between wanting to laugh and not, "Mr. Morgan, perhaps you should reflect on what you did wrong to make Howard angry. From our current examination, Howard's bodily functions are all recovering, and he still remembers me. How could he forget his own family?"
William stood frozen in place.
Dr. Allen spoke bluntly. William had suspected this before, but hearing Dr. Allen say it out loud still made him feel blocked up inside, thinking, 'What's wrong with Grandpa?'
He recalled recent events. Ever since he announced Ava's identity as Mrs. Morgan at the press conference, Howard had been much better to him. He hadn't scolded him over the phone anymore and had even praised him a few times.
Thinking it over, he felt he hadn't done anything recently that went against the old man's wishes.
When he returned to the room, Howard glanced at him from the corner of his eye, then quickly closed his eyes. The meaning was obvious - he completely didn't want to acknowledge this grandson anymore.
William felt deeply troubled. He couldn't figure it out.
Howard hadn't slept well at night and wanted some quiet, so he shooed Ava away.
Seeing this, William didn't dare step inside either, waiting for her in the hallway.
Ava helped Howard pull up the blanket, drew the curtains, and placed the water cup by the bedside. After carefully doing all this, she gently opened the door and went out, only to see William standing outside.
She tried to walk past him, but the next second he grabbed her wrist.
"Ava, the share transfer agreement is ready. Sign it now."
When Ava first proposed this condition, she thought she was fantasizing. She never imagined this moment would come so quickly, that he would actually be willing to give her a quarter of his net worth.